Prior use of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), a controlled hallucinogen made from a chemical found in fungus, does not increase psychological resilience to stressful events, new research suggests. LSD is a drug that alters the way the brain responds to serotonin, a neurotransmitter. The drug changes people’s moods, emotions, and behavior.
In the study, Mr. Korman analyzed Germany’s public survey data on 15,854 adults. These people lost their jobs in the last year and were job seeking.
The author said that changes in employment status is a stressful experience which can be linked to adverse mental health outcomes. Among the respondents, 520 reported prior use of LSD. These people were around 1.
6 to 1.7 times more likely to report severe psychological distress than nonusers, the study found. A supplemental analysis evaluating moderate psychological distress in LSD users showed similar results.
“This study brings into question previous findings linking classic psychedelic use to psychological strengths and resilience by demonstrating that prior use of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) is associated with greater psychological distress following later job loss,” Mr. Korman said in a news release. Given his findings, Mr.
Korman advised against LSD use as a means for healthy individuals to gain psychological resilience and encouraged researchers to question studies that show otherwise. Several studies in a clinical environment suggest LSD has the potential to enhance psychol.
